Workers singled out for organising a union

After workers of the Modelama factory in North India registered their union in December 2012, the management dismissed fourteen workers. The union's general secretary and two other workers were transferred to remote factories in retaliation for their work with the union. Although an initial agreement was reached to reinstate the workers, the company continues to harass the union. Buyers include Gap and Next.

A wave of despair struck workers at Modelama factory when they were illegally dismissed, illegally transferred, forced to sign blank documents and harassed and intimidated on a daily basis after establishing a trade union to represent them.

After a long struggle and pressure from the international community, including the Clean Clothes Campaign, the management of Modelama agreed to reinstate the workers and pay them the salaries they were owed.

Some months later, the management resumed their anti-union activities. The workers were trying to initiate a dialogue on possible violations of India's Bonus Act, discrimination against some of the transferred union officials and sexual harassment of female employees by supervisors. Some unionised workers were later transferred to remote factory units and threatened. The Clean Clothes Campaign has been in contact with Next, one of the major companies buying from Modelama. CCC urged Next to take action and use their leverage with the factory management to resolve the issues at the factory.